Overview and features

Picture the scene: you're in an aircraft cabin, pulling the long haul.

The colour is draining not only from your face but also from that cheap LCD screen in the seat in front of you. Suddenly a cinema screen rolls down and a 3D movie starts to play, but only to you – and you even manage to see the drinks trolley in your peripheral vision.

Forget virtual reality; Epson's newest innovation – on sale now in Japan, and destined for the UK early in 2012 – is designed to create a portable, transparent home cinema experience for bored business travellers, though there's more to it than mere movies.

Armed with a Wi-Fi connection, the Moverio BT-100 can get online, and though it's not possible to download apps and games, its browser does support Adobe Flash video (as well as MPEG and H-264 videos manually transferred via a PC).

The BT-100 runs an Android operating system. Version 2.2, to be exact, though it's customised so much that it will be unfamiliar to most. It is controlled using a touch sensitive trackpad, which also houses a 4GB SD card to go with the internal 1GB of memory.

Battery life is rated at about six hours, and the product ships with a neat black carry case (though the whole package is rather large).

As a portable home cinema, the BT-100 is rather behind the times in featuring a 960x540 pixel resolution for each eye, which is a quarter the resolution of a full HD image.

Is the BT-100 a direct rival to Sony's HMZ-T1? It's bound to be endlessly compared, but they're different beasts; the HMZ-T1 is about total immersion, and probably has a gaming future, while the lighter BT-100 is more mobile (the clue is in the 'Moverio' moniker) and doesn't give such a closed experience.

In short, Epson's effort is no 'Personal 3D Viewer' – it's actually marketed as the 'first consumer see-through mobile viewer'.

Performance and verdict

Put the BT-100 on and it immediately feels different to Sony's effort. For a start, it's lighter, and doesn't have as much weight on the front, something that makes it easier to wear for longer periods.

That's not to say that this headset is exactly comfortable. Most of the electronics appear to be in each side, which is also where both the headphones and the cables protrude from.

The headphones are of generic design, and quality, but could – theoretically – be upgraded. They are supplied separately as single earpieces that attach to each arm of the BT-100, each with a cable about two inches long.

As far as cables are concerned, that's just the beginning; you also have to put up with a thick cable from each arm that stretches down to the smartphone-sized trackpad.

Using that rather old-fashioned looking trackpad is easy enough, and swiping through the Android carousel-style interface is a cinch. Unfortunately, Wi-Fi was disabled on our review product – an early prototype – so we were not able to test the BT-100's web browsing capabilities.

However, we were able to call up the browser and inspect the setup process, which is almost identical to a smartphone running Android. Besides, we can't see the point of web browsing on video glasses – especially on some that are aimed at business travellers on long haul flights.

Having not thoroughly tested it, we ought not to criticise, but this does appear to be a novelty feature; we all have a touchscreen smartphone in our pocket anyway.

No, the BT-100 is all about video. Where the image appears to be in your field of vision depends on where you look; stare off into the middle distance and you'll see what appears to be a giant cinema screen about 300 inches in diameter, but you can just as easily watch the same image as TV-sized picture on a wall or object a couple of feet in front of you.

It takes a while to get used to, but it made us smile as soon as we put the glasses on – and that's always a good sign, especially for a new genre of gadget.

On our demo product we had several videos pre-installed, including trailers and an MP4 file of Knight & Day. The latter was presented in widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, and appeared plenty detailed enough, though hardly comparable a Blu-ray disc.

It's not the sharpest image we've seen, and nor was it the most steady – we noticed the odd shudder and blur – but it was comfortable enough for around half and hour of viewing, and on pure video quality actually slightly above our expectations.

It's best used in dim light, but works okay anywhere but the brightest of surroundings – though the smoked glass frontage is best left in place (it can be removed, but with devastating consequences).

Not surprisingly for a product with two eyepieces, the BT-100 can also show 3-D video. However, the native transparency of the product means that watching in 3-D is not as immersive as it could be, though we noticed none of the ghosted images, crosstalk, or brightness issues that blight some 3-D TVs and projectors.

Sadly, it's also not as 3-D as it could be, either; depending on where you aim the product, the picture can appear to be a long way away, but there is little depth within the 3-D image itself – though it is perceptible. Note that the BT-100 is only compatible with the side-by-side 3-D format.

There is, however, one problem with the BT-100 that strikes at its core usefulness for airline passengers. Is it the fact that the transparent image is projected onto random objects – typically super-imposed onto a switched-off LCD screen in the airline seat in front?

Actually, no, we experimented with viewing the image over a host of different objects and in varying degrees of brightness, and although the lines and shape of the background is occasionally obvious (and you would never 'aim' the BT-100 at a window or other light source), that's not the major problem. The big issue is sound.

Take any random long haul cabin and the ambient noise – the engines, the aircon system, the screaming children – can reach 50 decibels. That's why noise cancelling headphones have been such a success in the last five or so years, and they are sorely missed here.

We're not talking bulky, battery driven designs that cost £250; decent, and fairly cheap, earbuds that are capable of blocking out most aircraft sounds should have been provided. Regular business travellers will already have noise cancelling headphones of some kind, so using the BT-100 will mean making a compromise on sound.

Verdict

Without the sense of isolation that blights Sony's effort, Epson's see-through home cinema experience is a tad easier on the senses, though we're not sure the two should be compared too closely.

While Sony's HMZ-T1 is a 3D gaming accessory, the Moverio BT-100 is a business traveller's indulgence, though both are first-gen efforts with significant drawbacks.

As a hands-free alternative to an iPad or smart phone, the BT-100 is a good first effort, though a little rough around the edges – hopefully the second generation attempt will have noise cancelling headphones and a few less cables to contend with.

Overview

Nvidia's new 3D Vision 2 Wireless Glasses are designed to work with its new LightBoost technology and cut out annoying periphery dramas with 20 per cent bigger lenses.

Maybe you love 3D, maybe you hate it. Wherever you stand on the begoggled viewing experience, though, chances are you'll have at least a couple of niggles.

Stereoscopic 3D is no infant in technology terms, but it is experiencing teething problems as it gradually invades your household media setup.

For starters, it's inconvenient and uncomfortable to have to wear special glasses every time you want to play a game or catch a movie; not to mention expensive if you're shelling out for several sets of glasses. Then there's the flickering in your periphery, the headaches and the lack of image depth.

Samsung has made good progress in addressing the comfort issue with its SSG 2 and 3 series 3D glasses, and while 3D monitors that don't require the goggles at all aren't too far away, the industry isn't just sitting on its hands until then.

Verdict

Other than the size, the Nvidia 3D Vision 2 Wireless Glasses are almost identical to the original 3D Vision glasses, which unfortunately means they're still uncomfortable.

Samsung's SSG-2100AB specs are still the most comfortable we've perched on our conks, and Nvidia lags well behind in this department. It's odd because they've obviously been redesigned with comfort in mind, but still don't sit naturally on the face.

Now the good news - the bigger lenses and wraparound design of the Nvidia 3D Vision 2 glasses greatly improve your viewing experience.

Having your brain decode stereoscopic 3D images while also dealing with, y'know, real life 3D in your peripheral vision is very tiring, and we suspect closely linked to those inevitable headaches following a long session.

Increasing the lens size is such a simple solution to this problem, it makes you wonder why it took them this long to get it sorted - so it goes with 'new' technologies, we suppose.

The really important development here is LightBoost, Nvidia's new 3D tech.

To you and us, this is a layer of film across monitor and TV screens that counteracts any dimness, delivering twice the brightness and, consequently, clearer, more colourful 3D images.

Sounds a bit like marketing nonsense, but we can absolutely vouch for it - just read our review of the LightBoost-ready Asus VG278H if you need convincing.

Verdict

These Nvidia 3D Vision 2 glasses are being marketed as LightBoost-compatible, but the same is true of the 3D Vision 1. They're both just shutter glasses, after all.

Buy these glasses for the improved viewing experience, by all means, but don't be tricked into thinking you can't enjoy LightBoost without them.

We liked

Nvidia has made good progress with the 3D Vision 2 glasses, by eliminating peripheral vision problems and increasing lens size. It's subtle, but it really does make a difference.

We disliked

That progress is halted in the comfort department, though. Given that these glasses are selling for roughly the same as a pair of (non-3D) prescription glasses, we expect a greater level of comfort. Competitors like Samsung are some way ahead in this area.

Final verdict

Crucially, the combination of these glasses with a LightBoost-equipped PC monitor gave us our first genuinely enjoyable, almost jaw-dropping 3D gaming experience - for the first time, we're excited about 3D.

Overview and features

The consumer electronics industry has long had a fascination with video headsets. They tend to make cyclical appearances, promising ever more futuristic delights.

From the early days of Virtual Reality to goggles with integrated TV screens, this sub-genre of oddball tech is nothing new. Even Sony has been here before, with its Glasstron eyeware, released in the US during the late 1990s.

But the Sony HMZ-T1 3D Head Mounted Display is rather different. It's without doubt the most elaborate personal viewer to reach the consumer market. It's a good deal more advanced than rival 2D/3D viewers from Vuzix, such as the Vuzix iWear AV310, and employs high-resolution OLED panels.

In short, this new Sony contraption actually works. But that doesn't guarantee anyone is actually going to buy it.

The Sony HMZ-T1 is a two-piece set, comprising the 3D viewer itself and an HDMI dual output switcher. A single cable links the two, delivering sound, vision and power. Any HDMI source can be connected, from a set-top box to Blu-ray player.

Distribution is limited to Sony stores. This is clearly not a mass market item, a fact that's reflected in the £800/ US$799 price tag.

Of course, if you're buying the Sony HMZ-T1 as an alternative to a super-large screen 3D TV or even a video projector system, the asking price could be construed as fairly reasonable. If you want a cinematic viewing experience but simply don't have the space to accommodate a physical display (perhaps your super-yacht just isn't big enough for a dedicated cinema cabin?) it's a compelling solution.

Sony says watching a movie with the HMZ-T1 is similar to munching popcorn in the stalls of a 750-inch cinema screen, with a viewing angle of 45 degrees. There's even a slight, subtle tilt to the OLED panels to emulate that big-screen effect.

It's not just about video though: a pair of on-ear stereo headphones is integrated into the headset shell. Volume, menu and settings controls are located on the underside of the viewer. Here you'll also find sliders beneath each eyepiece to adjust focus.

Remember, though, that the system isn't wireless and doesn't work on batteries. Consequently you're very much tethered to both your source and a power supply. The dual output switcher rather conveniently has an HDMI v1.4 pass-though so that it can sit unobtrusively in your equipment rack, routing signals to your headset when required.

As an executive toy, it's likely to be highly desirable. It's possible also that the system could bring big screen thrills to the infirm or bedridden.

Performance and verdict

There's something just a little bit unsettling about a total immersion 3D system such as the Sony HMZ-T1. With your head in a virtual cinema and a sound system that isolates you from the world around, the experience is just a little unnerving. But it says much for the quality of the 3D viewer's display that this happens.

Pictured delivered by the tiny OLED panels are wonderfully sharp and colourful. Sony equates the resolution to 720p, although we suspect this is more subjective than mathematical. That said, the illusion of a large screen is surprisingly convincing, and there's genuine hi-definition clarity to be had.

For a truly cinematic sensation, we found 2.35:1 framed Blu-rays worked best. Actually, in some ways the viewing experience is better than at the cinema. These days you're rarely allowed to watch movies in a dark theatre (probably due to health and safety rules), but within the confines of the Sony HMZ-T1, films play in perfect darkness. That means images are extremely dynamic, with deep solid blacks and dazzling peak whites.

The 3D experience offered by this headset is rather different to other display technologies. Stereoscopic images don't have to be filtered by an additional lens, be it polarising or actively shuttered. That means there's no difference in overall brightness between a regular 2D HD movie and a 3D one.

This is a transformational difference. Consequently, there's no detail lost during the Green Hornet's night-time escapades and the vivid colour palette of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is mercifully undimmed.

Even better, because the refresh rate of OLED is lightning-fast (just 0.01 milliseconds), there's no overlap between left and right image frames. Suddenly that old 3D bugbear of crosstalk double imaging has been put to bed. Even difficult 3D source material such as Monsters vs Aliens appears clean and deep.

Sony has done a similarly fine job with the HMZ-T1 personal 3D viewer's sound system. Even though the built-in headphones use conventional stereo drivers, the surround processing that feeds them is extremely effective. Sony calls the process 'virtual phones technology.'

There's a choice of four surround presets available: Cinema, Game, Music and Standard. Each offers slightly different virtual staging. We found Music to be particularly effective with live concert material.

There are caveats, though. The balance of the headset isn't a design strong point, which is unsurprising given the size of the forward-facing optical block that houses the two 0.7-inch OLED panels.

When watching a movie you really have to recline back, to make the HMZ-T1's 350g sit on your face rather than hang off your nose. And we're not sure we'd want to wear them for more than a couple of hours in one stretch.

The headset isn't particularly suitable for gaming either, unless you're completely adept at using a console controller in the dark. Unable to see exactly where our fingers and thumbs were made us even more cack-handed gamers than usual.

We also found ourselves becoming slightly paranoid the longer we wore them - a consequence of the isolating effect of the design.

Verdict

While we really can't imagine head mounted 3D displays taking off in quite the same way that Walkmans did a generation ago, we rather like Sony's HMZ-T1 personal 3D viewer.

It's a bold and exciting spin on a familiar concept, and one that actually delivers on its promise of a virtual cinema experience. Its 3D performance is particularly mesmerising. If we could see our thumbs, we think they'd both be pointing upwards.

The HDFury3 is a clever piece of kit that allows you to get around the limitation of recording HDMI HDCP protected content from your PS3 or Blu-ray player to an analogue recording device that doesn't have a HDMI input, but uses HD component inputs.

It also allows you to connect devices that use HDMI to legacy kit, such as computer monitors or VHS players that weren't around when HDMI was invented. At £190, however, it's not cheap, so is it worth the outlay?

The size of a cigarette packet, the convertor has two HDMI v1.3 inputs and conventional analogue component outputs, with power supplied by a separate mains adaptor.

The device connects as a simple plug-fit adaptor, and converts digital HDMI to analogue component 'on the fly'. The HDMI inputs support Deep Colour and are manually or automatically switchable. A 3.5mm audio jack outputs either analogue or S/PDIF stereo PCM or Dolby/DTS 5.1, sourced from the HDMI feed.

The screen image is automatically centred for NTSC and PAL, with manual adjustment for horizontal screen position. Hidden DIP switch settings include colour depth upscaling and sync polarity inversion.

No PC needed

The device is entirely standalone and negates the need for a PC, as all the conversion is done inside. All the HDFury devices are on sale at www.amazon.co.uk, (albeit with incorrect images for the HDFury3 device), with user reviews discussing their use alongside the Hauppauge HD-PVR for copying HDMI signals.

Indeed, Amazon cross promotes the Hauppauge box, which has component HD inputs and a built-in H.264 hi-def encoder. The latter digitises a 1080i or 720p component signal and sends it by USB cable to a PC for storage as an H.264 bitstream or conversion to AVCHD. A low-cost blank DVD (4.7 GB) can record two hours of HD at 5Mbps. A BD player recognises the AVCHD disc as a Blu-ray disc and plays it at 1080i or 720p.

To check the claims made for HDFury3, I obtained an off-the-shelf sample and made test connections to a Sky HD satellite receiver/recorder, a Sony PS3 and a Panasonic 3D BD player. I used a Trulink 2 Port HDMI Splitter to compare the HD picture quality by direct HDMI connection and by component analogue conversion. There was little, if any, difference.

I also used a Hauppauge PVR, and budget Toshiba laptop, to make experimental captures and test AVCHD DVD burns of HD broadcasts, BD movie discs and online streaming services such as BBC iPlayer. Upscaled DVD video can normally only be carried as an HD signal by HDMI cable, but the unit happily converts it to HD component.

I was even able to make test recordings of side-by-side 3D broadcasts and play them back.

So is the sale of HDFury legal? Neither the HDMI Licensing LLC organisation nor the Digital-CP LLC, which licenses the HDCP copy protection used for HDMI connections, seems to have made a definitive statement.

Of course we're not advocating any unauthorised use; just checking whether HDFury3 does what it says on the tin. And it does.

If the Kymera Magic Wand seems familiar it may be because it was featured on Dragon's Den, where it received the blessing of gruff Scot Duncan Bannatyne.

To use a Hollywood term, it's very 'high concept' – potentially appealing both to Harry Potter/Lord Of The Rings/fantasy fans as well as to those technophiles who wish they could control their telly using, well, a magic wand rather than having to get to grips with sometimes confusing, button-heavy modern remotes.

Light but sturdy

Incorporating a three-axis accelerometer, it comes in a 'dragon skin' and silk presentation box accompanied by a cute instruction booklet with faux parchment-like stylings, and is made from lightweight (most heft comes from adding batteries) if sturdy plastic. There are no buttons, but a green indicator light sits at the bottom end.

As you'd expect, the control method is gesture-based (you can incant 'spells' if you must) using pre-determined moves which can be mapped to replicate functions on an existing remote control.

These include flicking the wand up and down, twisting it slowly left or right, jabbing it back and forth or tapping it on the lower end. These take some practice (and memorising) but are aided by a built-in feedback system where the successful completion of a move is rewarded by a set number of pulses assigned to each emanating from the lower end.

Remote functions are learned by placing your zapper of choice in front of the wand, putting it in learning mode and carrying out a sequence of moves including performing the gesture you want to use and pressing the corresponding button on the remote you want to mimic.

You are limited to using a maximum of 13 gestures/commands in all, which is just enough to gain a fair degree of control over a TV and PVR – particularly if you want full control of the latter's recording transport functions. Any more than that is pushing it and there's no macro functionality for controlling multiple devices at the same time to make life a little easier.

Muggle-friendly

The wand stopped short of turning on our Panasonic TV but controlled it otherwise alongside our Sky+ and Virgin V+ HD box.

Pausing briefly between performing each move gives best results but using PVR functions proves frustratingly imprecise if you want to, say, quickly skip around a recording or timeshift – we reverted to using our trusty Sky+ remote instead.

The Magic Wand isn't a 'just a toy' but it is best suited to quite basic TV setups and it is children – 'muggles' though they may be – who will be most likely to overlook its shortcomings in favour of its fun factor.

DISEQC motorised mounts, which sit between the existing mounting pole and the dish, have usually been quite expensive. The TM-2600 Super from Technomate, on the other hand, sells for about £50.

As a result it will be attractive to owners of budget systems like the Ross 22300HD-R. During our testing, we successfully partnered the 65cm Ross dish with the mount by fitting a larger U-bolt. The solidly built TM-2600 Super can, however, be used with dishes up to 1.2m in diameter.

We were impressed by the thought that Technomate’s designers have put into this product. For a start, a peek inside the mount (don’t do this yourself or you’ll invalidate the warranty) reveals that the gearing is heavy-duty metal rather than nylon. Although this will make the mount slightly heavier, a longer operational life is assured.

There’s also no ‘play’ to speak of, and so your dish will remain resolutely locked in position once the desired satellite has been reached.

The instruction manual explains in some detail how to install the TM-2600 Super and even provides a web link to a Moteck applet that does all of the calculations relevant to your specific site latitude. A membrane-covered switch on the base will move the dish east or west (provided that a receiver is connected), while a hidden pair of sliders enables hardware dish-limits to be set.

Software limits can also be set via your receiver’s DiSEqC menu. Elevation adjustment combines a knife-pointer with a calibrated scale for readability.

The TM-2600 Super was found to work very well, although as with all such mounts the speed of travel depends on whether the currently selected channel has a vertical or horizontal polarity (horizontal channels rely on the receiver sending a higher DC voltage up the LNB cable).

XpanD has now introduced 3D glasses that can be partnered with infra-red triggered 3D displays from the likes of Panasonic, Samsung, Philips and Toshiba, thereby reducing compatibility issues for 3DTV owners.

If you're going to a 3D party and aren't sure what (older!) TV you'll be watching, these XpanD glasses are good bet-hedgers.

XpanD will be launching a new range (the X104) with support for Bluetooth as well as the radio system favoured by Panasonic.

The Xpand 3D glasses are well-made and are fairly easy to install. A simple programming system, based around a single button and LED, enables you to tell the glasses which TV you're using.

In its set-up mode, the brand is selected cyclically by pressing the button. The number of LED 'flashes' corresponds to a specific TV brand; if it's correct, press nothing for 30 seconds and you're done. Once set, your choice is remembered until you change it.

The picture quality and comfort level are on par with the brands' own glasses in terms of light-attenuation, flicker, separation and so on.

They wrap around existing spectacles and have replaceable nose-pieces (three are supplied).

These are upgradable for new models of TV via a dealer only. Compatibility with Sony, JVC and Sharp wasn't claimed for our sample, but the website now lists these brands.

However, they didn't work with a Samsung UE55D8000. All we could see was a slightly-attenuated 'double-image', because the latest Samsungs use Bluetooth technology (as opposed to infra-red) to trigger the glasses. The upcoming X104 3D specs will have support for Bluetooth 3D TVs.

LG 3D TV owners tale note. They only work with LG's few active 3D TVs. Passive LGs are unsuitable.

Also rather unfortunately, like many other active-shutter glasses, the X103s are powered by a non-rechargeable CR2032 li-ion cell.

We recently looked at Cables To Go's HDMI Over Cat5e Extender, which helps transmit high-def content when regular cables won't cut it.

Well, the TruLink Wireless HDMI Kit is another product designed to solve home cinema conundrums.

Unlike the Cat5e Extender, the Wireless HDMI Kit isn't able to extend the range of HDMI – the wireless broadcaster and receiver only work over 10m. What this is good for is broadcasting signals from one end of a room to another when cables would be inconvenient.

The kit works particularly well when sending signals from a Blu-ray player to a ceiling-mounted projector. It might not be the cheapest solution on paper, but not having to drill through ceilings and trail cables between the two devices saved us both money and stress.

Over a short distance and with no obstructions between the transmitter and receiver, the image quality was good, with only a small degradation and a few visible artifacts. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD lossless audio isn't transferred, however, so if you're really serious about getting the best image and sound, then a long HDMI cable is going to be better suited to your needs.

The transmitter and receiver units also need to be in sight of each other, so using the Wireless HDMI Kit to broadcast HD signals between rooms is out of the question.

Before investing in the kit, ensure that you can place the units close together, and that they are able to face each other as well.

Also worthy of note is that each unit comes with its own power switch – handy for conserving energy when not in use. When they're turned on, the units emit a blue glow via their LEDs, which can be distracting, and they also produce some background noise.

If your setup can accommodate these limitations, this kit can make installing a home cinema system tidier and more convenient. If you're a stickler for quality, though, you'll have to do it the hard way.

A question frequently submitted to our Troubleshooter section is 'can I get by with an indoor aerial for Freeview reception?'

With all the variables involved (proximity to local transmitter, risk of interference from surrounding technologies and structural materials) we recommend using an externalised feed if possible to maximise your reception chances.

Yet manufacturers continue to produce set-top aerials aimed at those for whom externalised reception may be out of question. This latest One For All SV 9390 portable antenna isn't short of impressive-sounding tech pressed into the service of locating SD and HD terrestrial TV and DAB radio transmissions too.

Omnidirectional reception

A little bigger than the average picture frame, it's not small but its flat plate design means it can be positioned pretty much anywhere including a wall (two 'feet' are included for table-top mounting).

Contained inside are six patches, which apparently allow for 360-degree 'omnidirectional' reception. This arrangement is claimed to bring in 40 per cent more bandwidth than previous models by having a greater carrier-to-noise ratio and (it says here) reducing incidences of echo and reflection.

Add to this active noise reduction filtering which is further diminished by having amplification handled externally via a small digital amplifier unit (thus reducing component noise within the antenna).

This off ers four levels of gain (the maximum is 43dB) triggered by touch pads accompanied by four blue LEDs, and sits between the antenna and your TV daisy-chained by UHF leads (2.7m of co-ax is supplied) powered by a 6V adapter.

One For All says the 9390 is at its best within 18 miles of the nearest transmitter. Initial results in the fourth-floor test room at our Marylebone offices (well away from nearby windows) using a Humax HD-Fox T2 receiver were positive; it drew in 54 per cent signal strength at the lowest setting and peaked at 70 at the highest – bringing in all Freeview channels including HD.

However, in a south-facing room of an Edwardian house in north-east London we failed to get signals from Crystal Palace with our Panasonic IDTV and the Humax box, even with the antenna on the windowsill (we suspect that interference from building materials was the cause).

As with all such devices it's a case of trial and error, but clearly success is not impossible with the SV 9390 if a rooftop aerial really isn't an option.

The Gefen TV Auto Volume Stabiliser uses Dolby Volume, which is a technology designed to intelligently 'normalise' loudness to avoid the annoying volume jumps familiar to late-night telly addicts, when broadcasters turn up the sound for adverts.

The tech, which was modelled on psychoacoustic research conducted by Dolby, is integral to recent TVs, AVRs and this Volume Stabiliser.

The device is compact and powered by a 'wall-wart'. It's also very easy to use. Remote control is also possible, courtesy of a simple three-button handset.

Both digital coax and optical and analogue inputs and outputs cater for just about everything. You can also use it to convert between analogue and digital audio, with or without processing.

It works very well indeed, especially with TV sources. No subjective distortion of any significance is added, and quiet details become more apparent at low listening levels because they're boosted by Dolby Volume.

Some sources – eg. classical music, suffer from squashed dynamics, but you can engage the bypass mode if this is found to be too intrusive.

It also doesn't work with 5.1 audio – it's two-channel stereo only.

The addition of HDMI ports would have simplified connection to some applications. Naturally, only the audio would be processed here – any accompanying video would be passed through intact.

It also costs more than many Blu-ray players, largely on account of all the support circuitry that's necessary.